2001: A Space Odyssey & The General

2 films down: Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey," and Buster Keaton's "The General."  I have completely opposite responses to both.

2001: A Space Odyssey
I watched it last night.  Here's what I know about this movie.  It seems to be a really reflexive film.  You're not really force-fed anything.  You observe and you come to the conclusions on your own.  Conclusions about life, technology, and how those interact.  I think that's what I know about this film.  But I have to confess - I slept through most of it.  And the music really irritated me, waking me up a lot.

I love movies because of characters.  I love getting to know them, learning to love them, and being involved in what happens in their story.  This is definitely not a character piece.  I don't get these kinds of films.  I know they're important and artistic and intellectual, but it's just not my thing.  I had the same response to 8 1/2.

I was confused when it was over and I woke up.  I always thought that this was the movie about the evil computer with the red eye.  I googled it, and apparently it is - I just slept through it.  So I'm watching it again, right now.  I felt too guilty crossing it off of my list when I barely saw any of it.  And I have always wanted to see what happens with HAL.

The General
I haven't seen a lot of silent films, nor any Buster Keaton.  I was instantly in love with this movie.  How he could play such a lovable character without even speaking just baffles me.  His movements, gestures, facial expressions were perfectly hilarious.

Keaton is a train engineer  for the South during the Civil War.  The woman that he is in love with is on board his train "The General" when it is stolen by the northern army.  He sets out to rescue her in a chase that is filled with disaster after disaster.

I was in awe of how well they did this film.  It was made in 1927 without the mass of technology that we have today.  Shots were coordinated so perfectly while most of the film took place on board a moving train.

I could watch this movie again and again, and I think that I might.  I will have to watch more of his other films too.  I think I might try and make a short silent film next quarter.